Sweet Potatoes, Onions & Apples (Crock Pot)

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon of Mrs. Dash Italian
1 large apple skin. cored and cut into slices
1 small onion peeled and sliced
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock


In a large bowl toss potatoes  with melted butter, season with Mrs. Dash Italian, salt and pepper. Mix apples and onions in another bowl.

Coat crock pot with cooking spray. Line 1/3 of potatoes in a single layer around the bottom of the cooker, now top with 1/2 of the apple and onion mix.  Then another layer of potatoes and top with rest of apple mixture, keep doing until you end with final layer of potatoes.  Pour the vegetable or chicken stock  Cook for 5 hours at low temp.
 

Crock Pot Chicken

2 carrots washed and sliced
2 onions peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks cut into one inch pieces
1 whole broiler/fryer chicken 4 pounds
1/2 salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup of chicken broth or white wine
1 teaspoon of Mrs. Dash Italian seasoning

Add carrots, onion and celery to bottom of crock pot, then place your chicken over veggies.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash and pour your liquid over the top.    Cover and cook at low for 8-10 hours, or you can cook at high for 5 hours.


Once cook place in a large deep serving plate.

Crock Pot Stuffed Peppers

1 package frozen corn
1 can red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 14 1/2 can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup mild salsa
6 green of red peppers (remove tops and seeds)
2 cups shredded  cheddar cheese (divided) can use less fat cheese
1 1/2 cups rice (cooked)  You can use brown rice if you would like
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/4 cup peeled and chopped onion

Mix all ingredients in order (Hold 1/2 cups of cheese)

Stuff peppers with the mixture, place in crock pot cook  low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat 4 hours.
After cooked place in a flat serving dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.



 

Onion Soup Caramelzed (Slow Cooker)

3 pounds of onions (peeled and slice)
2 tablespoons of butter (unsalted)
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 salt (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons of flour
3/4 tablespoon of dark brown sugar
4 cups of stock (1/2 chicken and 1/2 beef stock)  Please heat
2 tablespoons of port wine

Combine sliced onions, butter and olive oil, salt in crock pot or slow cooker and cook low  for 5 hour. Stir the onions every hour so that they brown evenly.  Once onions are done 5 hours add flour, brown sugar and cook another 25 minutes, add the chicken and beef stock and cook at high for 1 hour more then reduce the heat to low and cook another 1 1/2 hours and add port wine.

Top Soup with Parmesan cheese and serve with toasted French bread.
 

New England Short Ribs (Crock Pot)

1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
3 pounds of short ribs
1 tablespoon of canola oil
1/2 pound of peeled and diced onions
1/2 pound of peeled and halved carrots lengthwise
1/2 pound red potatoes, do not take skin off and cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 pound turnips. peeled and diced
1/2 cup beef stock
1/2 cup prepared horseradish


mix flour, salt and pepper making sure to coat short ribs with this mixture.  Heat oil in Crock Pot set on medium heat.  Brown the ribs and transfer them to a plate, pour off any fat that may be left. Now slowly add onions and cook in crock post for 2-3 minutes, them combine with carrots, potatoes and turnips.  Coat the ribs with horseradish, place in cooker and mix together with the veggies, pour beef stock over entire mixture.  Cook for 10 hours on low.  Once done cooking and ready to serve, drain the juices and arrange on a large deep plate.


 

Italian Prune Filled Cookies

2 1/4 cups pitted prunes

1/2 cup granulated sugar

6 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 cups of walnuts chopped

1 10 oz jar maraschino cherries drained and chopped

1 tablespoon of lemon zest

4 teaspoons of baking soda

2 eggs

1 cups milk

1 cup of vegetable oil

1/3 cup confectioners sugar for decoration

Directions,

1. Filling:
2. Cover prunes with water and heat until water steams cooking until plump. Strain the prunes.  Once stranded add 1/2 cup of sugar, add chopped nuts, and chopped maraschino cherries. Set fruit mix aside overnight.
3. Dough:
4. Make the dough the following day:
5. In large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the bowl. Add the 2 eggs, milk, grated lemon rind, oil and mix to form dough. Knead the dough until able to handle for rolling.
6. Divide the dough into 6 parts. 
7. Roll each part into a rectangle of 1/8 inch thickness, add about 1/6 of the fruit mix onto the dough rectangle and spread nice and even.
8. Fold the dough lengthwise into the center of your pastry. Fold the other side in slightly past center, and press seam lightly together.
9. Pinch ends closed.
10. Lift the loaf with a spatula and place on lightly greased cookie sheet with seam under.
11. Hint: (I roll on parchment paper and fill as said above then move parchment paper and all to cookie sheet and cook on cookie sheet. No need to grease cookie sheet.)
12. Bake in 350 degree oven for 18 - 20 minutes or until a golden brown,  Let cool overnight on parchment paper.
13.  Make a glaze: With confectioners sugar add Vanilla, almond or lemon flavor.  Glaze texture should have the consistency able for brushing top of loaf.
14.  Then add sprinkles as desired. 
15. After loaf dried, cut crosswise slices about 1 inch thick

Porketta Seasoning

 

1/2 fresh chopped parsley

2 1/2 tablespoons of paprika

2 tablespoons basil (you can use fresh)

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoons pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons oregano

1/2 tablespoon of cracked fennel seeds

1 tablespoon thyme (you can use fresh)

 

Mix all ingredients together well and rub all over a pork roast before putting in the oven.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pepper Biscuits/Biscotti DiPepe

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup water
11/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons fennel seed (optional)
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 cups of flour

1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven 375 degrees , and move racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, hand mix the olive oil, water, salt, black pepper, and fennel seed.

Add baking powder and flour and mix until mixture is well blended and a dough begins to form.

Work the dough with your hands until the mix texture is oily and also smooth. Make sure the   dough is not too sticky.  mix in 1 tablespoon of all flour at a time, until smooth and able to work with.

Once able to work dough, pinch off about a 2-tablespoon size piece of dough. Roll the dough between lightly floured hands. Roll into a thin cigar shape that is about 8 inches long.
Form a U shape, then crisscross the pieces until you get a braid.

Place about 10- 12 biscuits per baking sheet then brush the tops of biscuits with lightly beaten egg.

Bake for 30-40 minutes. Biscuits should be golden and crisp. Place on a cookie rack to cool.
Stored in an air-tight tin container to maintain crispness, they should last this way for about 1 month or so.  Enjoy!